Exercise is the finest way to stay fit. The people who exercise regularly are protected from a myriad of diseases. But what you eat before and after exercise also impacts your health and wellness. Eating the right foods at the right time can have positive effects on your body and mind. Diet is so essential to this combination that often it can ruin the benefits of an otherwise good exercise regimen. A fitness program is nothing without a full fledged nutrition plan to support it.
Pre- and post-workout nutrition supply all the nutrition that the body needs. During the workout session, your body goes through tremendous pressure and uses its nutrients to convert them into energy. If it is short of nutrients in the first place, the chances of a person fainting are higher. That is where pre- workout nutrition comes into picture. Once the workout session is over, your body is in desperate need of nutrition. If it doesn't get it, it may result in extreme fatigue or even muscle burnout. Post workout nutrition makes sure that your body gets those nutrients when it needs it.
Each and every body is different and has different nutritional requirements depending on the type, intensity and duration of exercise. Also, age, sex, BMR (basal metabolic rate) and genetics play role to some extent. So obviously, every nutrition program needs to be customized according to one's requirement. However, there are certain things to be taken care of and these tips will remain true and useful to everyone even though they may have different bodies and different goals.
The pre-exercise food prevents hunger during exercise. Eating a high carbohydrate snack two hours before exercising can leave you with ample energy and a calm stomach for a great workout. These pre-workout meals will allow you to have increased muscle strength, better endurance, give you increased energy, better pumps, burn more calories and improve your concentration.
Why eat before a Workout?Before a workout, eat something light, as well as balanced. It's also wise to choose foods high in fiber as it's more digestible, giving you an easier workout. Some suggestion can be:
- Fruit or vegetable juice such as orange, sweet lime, carrot etc.
- Fresh fruit such as apples, watermelon, grapes or oranges.
- Sports drink
- Sandwiches (Preferably Brown bread)
- Energy bar
- Cereal with milk
- Boiled Egg
What NOT to eat?Any foods with a lot of fat can be very difficult and slow to digest and remain in the stomach for a long time. They also will pull blood into the stomach to aid in digestion, which can cause cramping and discomfort.
What to eat after a Workout?Simply put, aside from water (which you should already know you need) your post workout meal needs to contain 2 things, Protein and carbs.
Some suggestions can be:
- Dried fruit and nuts
- Fruit OR Vegetable juice along
- Sandwiches (preferably brown bread)with Chicken
- Veggie omelet with toast or roll
- Chocolate milk
- Cereal with milk
- Eggs and toast
- A protein or energy bar
- A protein or energy shake
What NOT to eat after a Workout? You should NOT be eating fat. Fat slows down digestion. It would also be slowing down the digestion of Protein and Carbs that you had after the work out. This is the exact opposite of what you want to happen.
Source:
http://www.myfitness.co.in/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=54%3Adietforgym&catid=34%3Acontent-demo&Itemid=60